The Red Hand's Guide

It is a simple book, a codex, a few dozen loose folios bound together. The cover is heavy stock with a simple red hand that one hopes is impressed in red ink rather than blood.

Full Item Description
If you have a copy of this, it is a descendent from one of the twelve original hand written copies. The Red Hand were noted torturers, able to break anyone with scientific precisions and get what they want, inflicting just as much permanent damage or pain as they wished to inflict. Each member of the order either copied their own copy as they were being trained OR inherited a copy from a retired/ expired member. Then “mass production” of sorts occured and scribes of questionable nature produced more copies (then the inventing of the printing press expanded this).

The book is highly illustrated. It shows dozens of accurate, though grusome, diagrams. It is very matter of fact about the subject; called pragmatic by some, sociopathic by others. Various techniques are rated for intensity, effectiveness and lasting effect. (The margin notes can be frightening to those “not in the business”). There are a few spells to assist in the process included as well, in addition to a guide on how to allow people to recover quickly. Some copies have additions on how to condition and train people to do what you want (once they are healed and released).

This single book has been credited for changing the way confessions are obtained in every civilized country, changing the way spies are trained, and has changed the entire process of imprisionment and punishment in every country. It has been been studied by healers and warriors to pick up the some of the finer points that can be applied to their crafts. The book is illegal in most “good” countries (those with a pretense of moral superiority) and is actually a death sentence by torture in a few. (The irony of this punishment is not lost on many).

There are several versions of this illicit book. Each one a descendent of one of the originals. The bulk of the copies are out of the scriberies of Dalmarth (p96 illus 89). However some other variations, with their unique margin notes, are floating about.

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A very good book MoonHunter. It has all that a semi-cultist players desires: Illustrations, illegal status, spells scattered throughout and covers a field I have found that many players find "cool". (For some odd reason, hehe)

The work is detailed enough to be visually graphic which I enjoy. I have used a very similar piece in my own world.

I tend to have books and tomes add experience or skill knowledge to the person reading, should they read the entire book/ tome and let me know they are doing so. It is simple things like this that add flavor into a game. Who needs hordes of treasure all the time. Throw in the unsuspecting book and you have an entirely new form of treasure.

Not only is it inciteful, but it may lead to possible hooks as people may not want that book to be out.

That being siad, maybe, if you are exiled from the order, due to some trangression or another, your book would be burned. The hours you spent scribing the thing wold've been wasted as you watch the well oiled parchment burn.

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Medieval Britons didn't write contracts. Instead, men making agreements would clap their knives onto an altar and recite the agreement three times to seal a deal. Even after the Normans introduced written contracts, British nobles would wrap the parchment around a knife to authenticate it.